after winter comes spring

I took a breath of fresh air and stopped short: is it really December 30^th? How time flies! The year has almost ended and 2012 is well, just around the corner. What could be more exciting than anticipating what is going to unfold before our eyes – the very promise that God “is before all things, and in HIM all things hold together" (Colossians 1:17, ESV)

Life is super sweet and so full of joy every single minute (literally) when we surrender our life to the Lord Jesus. It isn’t easy, but I’d say it’s more of a sweet ride on the waves. When we meditate on His Word and stay in His presence wherever we are and whatever we may be doing, it is always worth it.

May the sunshine warm you. May the rain fall sweetly on your head. May you lovingly gaze at the sky. And may you always be in awe of the one True King, the Prince of Peace, the Lover of our soul, the ever sweet presence of the Lord..A toast to the great days ahead, as we pursue Jesus Christ more, honor Him more, and continue to be His hands and feet in this aching world. Happy New Year, everyone!

In pursuit of something more..

In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers truthfully gave an account of his leaving the Christian game with the following:

“I was doing Christian work and winning souls for Christ, but I had no conscious communion with Him. The Bible was dull, and if what I had was all the Christianity there was, the whole thing was a fraud.” He desperately needed a true encounter with the King, after having realized that all his Christian training, religious activities, and spiritual leadership did not add up to a fervent relationship with Jesus Christ.

Like what Oswald Chambers said, it is so much possible to look and sound godly without really living Christianity in its truest form. What a challenge this is to us, to relinquish our selfish robes and recognize the need of our hearts to something more - because there’s got to be more in Christianity than the namby-pamby ways we’ve allowed ourselves to soak in.

Piercing as they may be, here are some things to zealously commit ourselves: Let us not reduce God’s expectations for our lives to a set of “godly-sounding” guidelines. Let us take up our cross and follow the Lord daily, letting righteousness rule over us rather than selfishness and taking sin lightly. Let us not settle for indifferent, self-built Christian game and comfortable religiosity. The Lord longs for our love, devotion, and time for Him in place of spiritual pretense and accomplishments without the Lord’s Spirit going before us.

May Jesus Christ be our only standard as we run the race. May we humbly allow the Lord to show areas that are off-track in our spiritual life. For we know that “HE who began the good work within us, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." [Philippians 1:6]. 

Press us closer and closer unto You, Lord..Give us an undivided heart..

 _________________________________________

Unhealthy relationships

I would like to bring you back to what profoundly caught my attention last September, to an article written by an anonymous warrior-poet on unhealthy guy-girl interaction that every believer who is in hard pursuit of Jesus Christ ought to know..

He focused on what unhealthy interactions between guys and girls look like. He showed candidly what we have overlooked, because even the Christian world has done so and accepted what there is.

A pressing thing to look at nowadays is the time alone that guys and girls spend together, where a lot of strong Christians fall and give in to temptation. They think so foolishly that it is just OK because they are marrying them anyway. But does it really showcase the attributes of true Christ-likeness? Are we really strong enough to handle things our way? If we really love the Lord Jesus Christ and choose righteousness because of what He has paid for, should we be asking how far "too far" is? Shouldn't we be seeking how to honor the Lord more? Shouldn't our question be, "What more can i do, Lord, so i can honor You in my life?"

Chasing after opportunities on how to spend time alone with a guy can be extremely deadly. A Christian author said, "A man and his wife do not belong to each other until vows are said and the marriage ring is on both of their fingers." And Proverbs 25:28 says with caution, "A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls." (NLT). Now, who would want to be a defenseless city, with broken-down walls that invite the enemy to come and tear you to pieces?

Don't put yourself in vulnerable situations. The wisest thing to do is to hold yourself accountable through godly influences in your life (and i mean, really godly). "A true warrior-poet will notice when he's been left alone in a room with a girl, and (with gentility and politeness in tact) will make an exit as quickly and as courteously as possible. A man of God values his honor and a young woman's dignity too much to carelessly give a place to accusation or suspicion." 

Here's a rule to live by:

(Here's a similar post on how to deal with men the Godly way.) 

Merry Christmas!

The only name i know that's synonymous with Hope is Jesus Christ..Heaven's Best, that we may have life and have it abundantly (victoriously) (John 10:10)..Have the happiest CHRISTmas, dear everyone! 

"Questions to consider" (on friendships)

"What are some of my favorite things to do with my closest friend? Are those things drawing us both closer to Christ, or are they causing us to become more fascinated with the world?"

"What are some new things I could do with that friend that would serve to more intentionally promote a Christ-centered relationship?"

"Is it weird to discuss spiritual things with my best girlfriend? If so, how can I purposefully seek to bring Christ into our conversations?"

"What (or who) am I left dwelling on after a coffee date with a kindred spirit? Is it God? If not, what are we talking about instead? Does it have eternal value?"

"What is the normal tone of the conversations I have with friends? Is it made up mostly of sarcastic comments, silly remarks, and shallow chatter? Or is there a heavenly substance and honorable attitude?"

"When two people are following hard after Christ, the substance of their friendship will flow out of that relationship. God does not intend for us to take time off from being a Christian when spending time with our friends. Everything we do, alone or with others, ought to lift high the person of Jesus Christ, that He alone might be seen and glorified."  

Excerpt from Set-Apart Friendships. 

"Reviving Etiquette"

True, lasting beauty..

"If any soul has any beauty, it is because Christ has endowed that soul with His own. For in ourselves, we are deformed and defiled! There is no beauty in any of us but what the Lord has worked in us."

- Charles Spurgeon

True, lasting beauty comes when Christ works His beauty in us..A godly beauty does not flaunt itself..It is gentle and quiet, filled with God's Spirit and drawing eyes to Jesus..A godly beauty is graceful, that is, being "full of grace." A girl with this kind of beauty recognizes God's grace to her and seeks to extend that grace to others..

finding peace (in the midst of chaos)

I’ve had the most amazing two weeks of my life - so indescribable that I can’t even begin to put words together – they won’t do justice at all! Looking back at the days leading up to it, I know I wasn't anticipating anything like what I am actually experiencing. I was frightened, at the thought of going through the days ahead (as something was supposedly a big deal).

But God’s hands of grace have been shining ever since, I am literally awestruck by how He has filled my waking and sleeping hours with His joy. I have totally forgotten what it was I was worried about! He truly is the only Treasure that counts! He is our greatest Advocate, Rescuer, Comfort, Joy, the Prince of Peace, the All in All. I wish I could lay out every detail of what He has done, but it wouldn't fit on one blog.

He has taught me how fulfilling it is to seek His presence and stay. What a gift it is to invite Christ to be with me as I walk on the street, work in my cubicle, ride the jeepney to meet with friends, go home, eat my lovely meals, sleep, listen to audio messages, pore over His Word, make everyday decisions, and just to commune with Him in everything.

There is so much more detail I could go into, and I would love to tell more, but there is one thing He zeroed in on, as He taught me new revelations: that living a poured out life for Jesus Christ requires basking in His presence and not running around “trying to accomplish a ministry.” It is all about making Christ our all in all, falling in love with Him first, satisfying our heart and spirit with Him first, before we can ever go out to the world and minister to others.

Because how can we even give to others something that we do not have? And how can we have a “ministry” like that, when His Spirit doesn’t go with us? What difference then would there be, between us and mediocrity, if the very lives we live do not please our King? How then can we listen, when we hardly have time for Him throughout the day?

Ministering to the least as Christ’s hands and feet is an overflow of a life that is ardently devoted to Christ. And in the most compact way that I can put it, total devotion to Christ is to be passionately in love with Him and being about His business, attending to the needs of others out of genuine love and not out of recognition, choosing to honor Him in everything we do and not be focused on self, and trusting His perfect wisdom with reckless abandon.

It is not always an easy task, because our spirit is willing yet our flesh is weak. But it is a battle worth fighting for (with His strength), as we resolve within ourselves to run to Jesus and pray, “press me unto You, Lord, press me closer unto You.” There is a great deal at stake if we live for ourselves and our own selfish desires. But if we humbly ask for His grace to desire more of Him and allow Him to mold our hearts into becoming more like His, and declare faithfully that He is indeed worth far more than fine gold, Jesus will surely take root and make our heart His dwelling place, always..

May His name be great in our lives,

camille..

"...a truly Godly guy..."

"A truly Godly set-apart guy will go out of his way to protect your standards. He will esteem your standards, he will even make himself uncomfortable to preserve your standards. He will be far more interested in guarding your purity than in living for his own selfish pleasure in the moment."

- an excerpt from Leslie Ludy's Answering the Guy Questions 

"Three Questions" by Leslie Ludy

Just Give me Jesus..

"The Christian life can be explained only in terms of Jesus, and if your life as a Christian can still be explained in terms of you - your personality, your willpower, your gift, your talent, your money, your courage, your scholarship, your dedication, your sacrifice, or your anything - then although you may have the Christian life, you are not yet living it! ...True godliness leaves the world convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the only explanation for you, is Jesus Christ."

- Major Ian Thomas

True Purity.

"The wife of Godly character does her husband good, not harm, all the days of her life." - Proverbs 31:12

"Purity, is actually loving someone, before you ever even meet them. Honoring them, before they ever even come into your life. Setting your heart, your mind, everything, your soul, your body, your thought life, everything, living as if they were in your life, and you are honoring them and living for them and concerning yourself with how they would feel."

"What if two people, before they ever even meet each other, could start loving each other like that? Not just try to keep themselves on this side of the cliff, but literally set themselves completely aside out of love, out of honor, out of respect for each other, even before they knew each other's name. So it won't be until you knew that he is the one that God has chosen for you to spend the rest of your life with. (And even then, it would be in the right context, and not just give yourself to a guy just because you are going to be married to him someday.)"

"No sacrifice is too great to preserve these two relationships: honoring Jesus Christ in this area of our life, and honoring our future husband. God scripts amazing stories! (Not the shallow ones some Christians actually live, for they conform to the world and just put a "Christian morality" stamp on top of it, and call their relationships 'God-honoring.'"

- Leslie Ludy, Teaching True Love

Dealing with men the Godly way

In answer to a beloved sister's question (who is amazingly halfway around the world!), I would like to share this thought from one of the very few people who have deeply impacted my walk with the Lord -- it is so because of the fruit(s) of the life they are living.

Q: How do I tell a guy to back off without hurting his feelings?

A: "Whether it is an ungodly guy trying to get you to lower your standards, or a Christian guy enticing you to offer more of yourself than you feel is appropriate, your first concern should not be "protecting his feelings," but rather, protecting the priceless treasure of your heart, emotions, and body. If you can politely send "back off" signals and he takes the hint, great. But often, something more forceful is needed, such as saying clearly, "I have no interest in any kind of relationship with you" or "I don't feel it would be healthy for us to cultivate a close friendship." And if he still doesn't back down, don't hesitate to recruit the help of a "protector," such as a dad, older brother, or pastor.

Too many young women are afraid to rise up with confidence and walk firmly in their commitments, so they end up leaving a door open for a guy when it should be nicely but firmly shut in his face.

Jesus was not primarily concerned with protecting people's feelings, but with speaking the unadulterated Truth. He was not mealy-mouthed where correction was concerned. He even openly called people "whitewashed tombs" and "a brood of vipers" when the occasion called for it (see Matthew 23).

Remember that a Proverbs 31 woman is mighty and valiant, not wimpy and waffling. Don't hesitate to rise up in the strength of God in order to jealously protect the "hidden person of your heart," no matter how much a guy's pride might be dented in the process. Chances are, it's exactly what he needs."

All credits to set-apart girl.

The folly of our own wisdom

Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

- Proverbs 3:7

"Rather than being wise in your own eyes, depart from evil. Assume - with the Lord's widom - that there will be a tendency in the heart to play too closely with sin. So do not to trust that deceitful drive behind your emotions and affections but, instead, fear God and avoid sinful situations." Be careful not to rub shoulders with sin and assume it will do no harm. [Today's Daily Devotion, BBH]

Just because we "don't mean anything by it", doesn't mean it is appropriate. Honor God at all times, for we will reap the consequences of our iniquities down to our children's children. Because we have been given much (the truth of God's Word), much is expected of us, and greater is our accountability with every idle word and every single action that we do.

May we be reminded of WHO we are living for..

Bless! ♥♥

on what matters..

I will not trade what really matters,

And things that truly last,
For the momentary pleasures the world brings..

The things that my King Jesus has reserved for me..

The lasting happiness, joy, and bliss..

To look at myself years from now - and still find love and peace -

Not shattered by a past that foolishness creates..

I am His, hidden by His mighty hand..

By One who is far wiser than I could ever be..
To get to me is to go through Him..

My Prince, my Rescuer, my Restorer, the Lover of my soul.

"Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed." 
Psalm 34:5

___________________________________________

- camille -
Happy December, everyone!

The voice of mediocrity

"Though the Christian men of our culture are supposed to be the ones who will rise above the debased mediocrity around them, they are ensnared by the same warped perspective and sinful sexual vices as the rest of their male counterparts. 

In fact, the Church is literally inundated with pastors, leaders and Christ-professing men who are enslaved to Internet porn, pre-marital sex, adulterous affairs and even homosexuality. 51% of Pastors say Internet pornography is a possible temptation. 37% say it is a current struggle – and these are just the ones who were actually being honest when polled. 

What modern masculinity needs is a serious shot of the saving, redeeming, transforming, delivering power of Jesus Christ.

As women, what, then, can we do?

Hold men to a higher standard. Let them know that you believe God has something so much better for them, and fight for them in diligent prayer until you see real changes happen in their lives.

Don't throw yourself at guys. Ask God to overcome your impatience and give you the strength to wait for a true warrior-poet rather than settling for less just because you are afraid you’ll miss your chance. Not with arrogance, but with patient trust in Christ, allow a guy to prove that he is truly worthy of your heart, rather than tossing it to someone who doesn’t value or treasure it. If you want a warrior-poet man, then become a true princess of purity who knows how to guard what is sacred.

Make Jesus Christ your first love. When we have a Christ-consumed heart, guys no longer dominate our thinking, our actions, and our decisions. Rather, the Lover of our soul captivates us so completely that every guy we meet clearly sees that Jesus is, and always will be, the number one Prince of our heart. "  

[sharing words from Leslie Ludy, Sept. 2009] 

On 'lifelong romance' :)

An excerpt from Choosing God's Best: Wisdom for Lifelong Romance by Dr. Don Raunikar (a must-read, if you ask me! Please do - you wouldn't want to miss being in the center of God's perfect will - such beauty and bliss - when your 'lifelong romance' is guided, and yes, God's choice!) [ i would so much like to buy all of you a copy if only i could :) ]

These aren't strict, go-by-the-book sets of rules. Don't forget that balance is important, and God created each love story different and unique :) It simply lets us follow His path to lasting love and romance (dating in marriage), instead of creating a counterfeit (fake) bond with someone who is not God-chosen for us. Enjoy!

Step 1. Dump dating. Choose to break up with dating. Believe that God is a better Matchmaker than you are. Be committed to wait for His best for your life (Colossians 2:8).

Step 2. Develop your worth and identity in Christ. While you wait for God's timing, concentrate on being the right person instead of finding the right person. Focus on your value and identity in Christ instead of your value to someone else (Galatians 1:10).

Step 3. Be involved in ministry. Develop godly characteristics such as servanthood and sacrifice, both of which will be essential to a successful marriage. Also, keep in mind that, many times, God will use a ministry to introduce you to your future mate (Mark 10:45) Caution: Don't be in a ministry for this reason - God knows the motives of our hearts and people will see the fruit we bear.

Step 4. Find an accountability couple. While you are single, seek the Lord for an accountability couple-preferably your parents. As you approach the level of intimate friendship, receive the full knowledge and blessing from your parents or another accountability couple. Be open to their protection, correction, and direction (Proverbs 12:15).

Step 5. Complete the preparations for courtship. Spend your season of singleness preparing yourself for a future marriage by developing godly character, emotional health, financial stability, and vocational and household skills. Not preparing for a courtship may result in a mud slide (Matthew 7:24-25).

Step 6. Develop healthy, godly friendships. Fellowship with other believers will help you develop friendships and fight off loneliness. "How do you get to know someone if you don't date?" --> Through godly friendships (Song of Songs 2:7). [godly means no flirting - consider your future spouse, and the future spouse of the other person you are friends with!] A solid friendship is the cornerstone for a solid marriage. [But the keyword here is 'godly' - never assume to be friends with someone because you think they might be the one for you. Always consider God's direction, make the friendship God-centered and healthy, and think about that person's future spouse: "If our future spouses were to come into our lives right now, would they be comfortable with our friendship?"

Step 7. Seek God's will. Seek God's will in every aspect of your life, especially whom to court (for men), and whom to accept (for women). When the difficult times in your marriage come (and they will), you can stand firm knowing God brought your mate into your life (Proverbs 3:5-6) Billy Graham once said, "I believe if you are a Christian, God has the ideal person picked out for you. If you don't wait for God's choice, you get just the second or third best."

Step 8. Make a commitment. Once an intimate friendship is developed and we believe he or she may be our intended partner, we enter a courtship with the understanding that marriage is the expected end result.

Step 9. Develop spiritual oneness. To build a solid marriage, the first cornerstone is the development of spiritual oneness through prayer, Bible study, and ministry opportunities (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Step 10. Develop emotional oneness. The next building block in a good marriage is the development of emotional oneness through sharing personal needs and feelings with each other. This is the point where you may guard your heart from others, but you can fully reveal your heart to your mate (Proverbs 4:23).

Step 11. Develop physical oneness. The last step of the courtship process is becoming one physically after marriage (Genesis 2:24). When a couple reserves physical intimacy until after marriage, they have a deeper sense of security and trust for one another.

Step 12. Pass courtship along to others. Instill the courtship principles in your children and your friends. Become an accountability couple to other courting couples. Share your testimony and the blessing of the courtship process with others.

Lastly, i love the saying that goes, "If you want the finest wine, you have to be patient for it."

I do believe that when we humbly ask the Lord and deeply desire to honor Him even in our relationship now, He will be the third strand in our marriage. ♥♥



Others-centered

And finally, it is my own time to really see and taste it: to be others-centered (here's a Haitian story). 

Indeed, i have found out, that it really is the cure for any form of ailment - whether i'm lonely, depressed, dreaming of days-to-come, or focusing on myself. It helps me remove the focus on my own prayer concerns, and give myself, which has been bought at a high Price, to others, who have been bought at the equally high Price.

I never knew this so much joy was possible.

Sure, i do long for "a strong, tender, manly hand cradling mine" as we walk together and dream about kids - these are never far. But I know the God i'm trusting and His ways are perfect (God is never late!). Knowing this has given me exuberant freedom to enjoy the present 'waiting time' and give myself fully to others - the needy, from all walks of life.

You can be others-centered, too!

You are made to be Christ's hands and feet to the least, and no gates of hell can stop you from living this out. Don't be daunted by how little you can do, either! There is always something significant you can give for the glory of your King Jesus!

Your every fabric testifies of who the Lord is. What a great way to spill your life out for the Gospel!

And from my heart, I say, you too, will be filled - to overflowing - with the secret to real joy. His.

♥♥

Being on one's guard

Sure we ladies know what modesty means. It is "dressing to exude the kind of dignity, grace, and true feminine beauty that will captivate a (true Christian) man's heart - without using sex appeal to do it." I pointed out "true, Christian" men, unless you want to captivate the wrong crowd.

It is all a matter of choice. And most of the time, women lower their standards and their guard to follow the world, because that's where all the men are heading to. But are we really built for that? Won't we find ourselves wondering, "there's gotta be more to life than this", down the road?

Thinking about honoring Jesus Christ and our future husband do help us consider what to wear everyday. "We must remember that our bodies are not our own (1 Cor.6:19-20). It is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we cannot just assume that it is our right to do what we want with it. Our body is to be spent for the glory of our King, not for the selfless pleasure of lustful men or to gratify our own selfish desire to be found attractive to the opposite sex." [Leslie Ludy, Mar/Apr 2011]

"Modesty simply means guarding how much of your body is being exposed: you don't have to hide behind long, tent-like robes, but be on guard as not to allow another guy to have the privilege of looking at (or touching) what was meant for your husband alone."  

Modesty also challenges the men around us to treat us with true respect, instead of seeing us as (cheap) sex objects. Let's help these men turn their eyes toward Jesus, and not to us, ladies.

Lastly, the Proverbs 31 woman "does her husband good and not harm, all the days of her life," not just after she is married.

This goes to (single) Christian men as well: Being a Christian man does not only mean he can memorize Scripture after Scripture. Christian action must also be seen in all areas of his life: he considers his wife's (or future wife's) feelings in his actions toward girls. He doesn't act towards women unaware of his actions' results (or impact), but he guards his own heart, thoughts, and emotions, not playing with temptation and foolishly thinking it cannot harm him.

..and my portion...

How many times has the word "portion" appeared in the Bible?

Hmm i actually don't know..But the most familiar verse we can all recall is what Psalm 73:26 says:

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

When i first ran into the word 'portion', i didn't quite grasp it fully..And that's how it went for a long time.

Until I read and chewed on this..

My Portion - "He is mine."

My Portion, Someone who has chosen to give Himself to me. Yes, He is mine.

He is mine. My Portion. Who i have. The Treasure i own. My Most Valuable ever. I don't have a lot. Maybe i don't have anything. But there is Someone that i do have - my Portion. "He is mine."

Did i say it enough?

The realization is so beautiful, i think my tongue can't say it all! I want to say more, but my tongue says only one thing, over and over: I do have a Portion! HE is mine, as I am HIS!

May you meditate on this truth as well. You have a Portion. Your treasure. Your all. Jesus is yours!

Lord, You leave us speechless in awe. My heart can hardly contain it..

Crowns that need laying down

I can’t believe how the Lord speaks to us in ways we couldn’t see coming. Months ago, I was singing this classic (which im sure many of you know) as I was preparing for my devotional.

We fall down, we lay our crowns

At the feet of Jesus

The greatness of mercy and love

At the feet of Jesus..

We cry, Holy, holy, holy

Is the Lamb.

I had very little understanding of “crowns.” I used to think they were money and fame and the applause of the world. I was quick to think that “crowns” are what the royalty of Europe lay down when they finally give their life to Jesus.

It was a little of an aha moment when I found myself asking the Lord what other things define a CROWN, and He gently pointed out things I have never perceived in my little mind before.

If crowns were merely money and fame, we would gladly say we have nothing to do with them. But we also have “other crowns” that we find hard to lay down.

Pride, when we don’t release forgiveness to someone. We dwell on the fact that they did us wrong, and we rightfully have the right to be hurt, and well, give the cold shoulder. We say, let me nurture my pain, Lord. I just can’t forget what they did, im sure You understand that. I’ll forgive when im ready.

Little did we know that this shiny crown of drama separates us from His presence, because we are so intent on nurturing our aches and live a life of self-pity, instead of telling the enemy (satan) boldly that we were bought at a Price – Jesus -  and we don’t live a life he can trample on anytime he likes.

And how about “a little recognition”? There is nothing wrong with wanting some self-promotion, is there? Well..What is the motive of our heart?

Bringing God all the glory (without wanting anything for ourselves) and wanting some of it (without even realizing it), really don’t work together. We can never promote the Lord if we do it by making ourselves look good.

Do we sensationalize petty things once we see a “ground” to be hurt? We do have the option to pray about it and leave it in His hands, yet we choose to make a big deal out of our own understanding. Many times I have been through this, but if we only pause and allow God to make us see things in HIS OWN PERSPECTIVE, it puts our own thoughts and the enemy that feeds them, to shame.

A “crown”, the crown the song is singing about, is anything, anything at all, that refuses to accept the Lord’s strength and grace, makes us act upon our will or takes matters in our own hands, hampers humility to flow from us, and feeds upon the need of the flesh to look good and feel good, instead of decreasing so that HE will increase.

What other crowns can we add to the list?

Having realized the other meaning of our crowns, im sure the Lord is gently tugging at our hearts to surrender fully everything that doesn’t make us in tune with His Spirit. Life is heavy with excess baggage, so they say. And remember, the LORD is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. (Psalm 145:8, NLT). It is His heart to change us from glory to glory, and what better time there is than now.

"Holding Pattern"

(a Passion and Purity excerpt)

STEADFASTNESS, that is holding on;

PATIENCE, that is holding back;

EXPECTANCY, that is holding the face up;

OBEDIENCE, that is holding one's self in readiness to go or do;

LISTENING, that is holding quiet and still to hear.

Sincerity.

Matthew 12:36

For we are accountable. 

_______________________________________________

The purging process

I watched a somewhat rerun of The LOTR two weeks ago (sorry, downtime in the office). I’m not much a fan of orcs spewing something out when they talk (especially when im eating haha) but well, its LOTR and who hasn’t watched it? I guess I just love valiant characters. 

Something about what Gandalf said struck me though, when Frodo said he wished none of it had happened. ["It is not for us to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."]

Have you ever found yourself wishing hard – because that was the only thing left to do – that something had not happened to you? Is that circumstance too heavy that it just holds you back from getting up on your feet?

There are many things in our life that we wished we could have re-written, happenings that we cannot understand why God has allowed us to go through.

But it is not for us to decide. All we have to decide is whether we let the circumstances make us waste away, or submit ourselves wholly to Him, and humbly take His provision of strength and grace.

AW Tozer couldn’t have put it any better: "When I understand that everything happening to me is to make me more Christ-like, it solves a great deal of anxiety."

And it did. It took a long time, but the Lord has enabled me to release my anxiety and all the whys in His hand. Becoming more Christ-like is a life-long process. Yet there is no fragrant perfume without the purging of a flower. And God is faithful to complete the work He has started in us! (Phil. 1:6)  

I take comfort in the fact that He is God. He’s got the universe in His hand, and He’s got my world (and your world) as well. He is the God who calls each star by name (Psalm 147:4), and even the very hairs on our head are all numbered (Luke 12:7, NLT). Simply breath-taking! And when we begin to realize this, we can smile at the future with reckless abandon. (Im still in the process, too.)

My prayer for you is that you find God through and through, feel His hug through your darkest times, bask in His peace when all things are looking messy (on the outside), and just find your heart’s treasure in Him, regardless of any circumstances. One thing the enemy can never take away is your testimony of how great your God is.  

Bless!

Missing out on God's adventure?

God has a much-higher calling upon your life than spending all your time and energy trying to snag Mr. Right.

Will you miss out on the great adventure of letting God script your own love story, because you want to seek it yourself? 

Will you not want a romance that is a beautiful, God-scripted love story - completely free of human strategy and manipulation?  

Here's one of my favorite quotes by Leslie Ludy:

"Remember that there are many Christ-built warrior poet men out there who are praying and hoping for a set-apart young woman – one who is not following after the trends of the culture, one who is not wallowing around in discontentment or on the prowl for a guy. Nothing would thrill a true warrior-poet’s heart more than to know that his future bride was spilling her life out for the sake of the Gospel. Do you want to find a godly guy? Focus on pouring your life out for Jesus Christ, and leave the rest to Him. God has not called us to build our lives around the pursuit of our own selfish desires, but to be poured-out sacrifices for His kingdom."

And until I can fulfill this - by His grace - will i ever be happy. I know i will enjoy more His earthly love 
story, when I have fully enjoyed the King Himself.

 ♥♥

The applause of the world

He does not call us to

be noticed and applauded

by the world.

He calls us to decrease,

more and more,

that He might increase within us.

In God's kingdom, recognition and honor are not sought for and strived after, but given by God alone. How else would we ever get famous enough to wow the crowds with our talents and then "give all the glory to God"?

We are called to be a Christian. And the Christian life is not about self-promotion; it is about self-denial (here's a Haitian story).

[Leslie Ludy, Sept.-Oct 2011]

Oh please do read through!

This is just another excerpt, but please do read through below - for im sure it will leave you (as it did me) thinking twice, and blessed! 

It was finally here - Anna's wedding day, the day she had dreamed about and planned for months. The small, picturesque church was crowded with friends and family. Anna walked down the aisle toward David. Joy surged within her. This was the moment for which she had waited so long. He gently took her hand, and they turned toward the altar.

But as the minister began to lead Anna and David through their vows, the unthinkable happened. A girl stood up in the middle of the congregation, walked quietly to the altar, and took David's other hand. Another girl approached and stood next to the first, followed by another. Soon, a chain of six girls stood by him as he repeated his vows to Anna.

Anna felt her lip begin to quiver as tears welled up in her eyes. "Is this some kind of joke?" she whispered to David.

"I'm...I'm sorry, Anna," he said, staring at the floor.

"Who are these girls, David? What is going on?" she gasped.

"They're girls from my past," he answered sadly. "Anna, they don't mean anything to me now..but I've given part of my heart to each of them."

"I thought your heart was mine," she said.

"It is, it is," he pleaded. "Everything that's left is yours."

A tear rolled down Anna's cheek. Then she woke up.

I often think of Anna's dream. There are girls from my past, too. What if they showed up on my wedding day? What could they say in the receiving line?

"Hello, Joshua. Those were some pretty lofty promises you made at the altar today. I hope you're better at keeping promises now than you were when I knew you."

"My, don't you look nice in that tuxedo. And what a beautiful bride. Does she know about me? Have you told her all the sweet thinks you used to whisper in my ear?"

I am aware of the consequences of my selfishness. I gave my heart away too many times. And I took from girls what wasn't mine.

[- from: I Kissed Dating Goodbye, Joshua Harris]

Some things to consider for ourselves, ladies:

How many men could line up next to me on my wedding day?

How many times have I given my heart away in short-term relationships?

Will I have anything left to give my husband?

Please know that I do respect each person's stand. And i would like to keep this to myself.. But I have to share what has blessed me, and I can't keep to myself when I know there is more to this common and worldly love we are bombarded with.

Thank you for reading through! I appreciate your patience - the post is rather long :)

♥♥

(just a side note, there really is a more beautiful, much more beautiful love story God has for each of us..it is NOT found in momentary "happy feelings" that does not stand on true promises at all)

Happy waiting, God's lovelies!